Jimmy Morales

Morales was born in Guatemala City to José Everardo Morales Orellana and Celita Ernestina Cabrera Acevedo. He comes from a circus family and is an Evangelical Christian.{{Cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/tv-comedian-former-businessman-lead-guatemalan-election-1441597400 |title=Comedian Jimmy Morales Leads Guatemalan Election |author=Juan Montes |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=7 September 2015}}{{Cite news |author=José Elías |title=Jimmy Morales, el candidato sorpresa |newspaper=El País |date=7 September 2015 |url=http://internacional.elpais.com/internacional/2015/09/07/actualidad/1441605730_868386.html}} His father was killed in a car accident when he was three years old, prompting him, his mother and three siblings to move to his grandparents' house, where he grew up.{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/centralamericaandthecaribbean/guatemala/12100871/Jimmy-Morales-Guatemalas-clown-who-went-on-to-become-president.html |title=Jimmy Morales: Guatemala's clown who went on to become president |last=Lemos |first=Eirini |date=15 January 2016 |publisher=The Telegraph}} By the time he was ten years old, he and his brother Sammy accompanied their grandfather to sell bananas and used-clothing at the market in Santa Lucia Milpas Altas.[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/09/19/jimmy-morales-used-to-do-black-face-comedy-hes-now-poised-to-be-guatemalas-president/ "Jimmy Morales used to do blackface comedy. He’s now poised to be Guatemala’s president,"] The Washington Post.

He holds degrees in business administration and theology from the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala. Morales also holds a master's degree in strategic studies with a specialization in security and defense from Mariano Gálvez University. He furthered his studies in strategic studies at the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala.{{cite web|language=es|title=Jimmy Morales está de cumpleaños. ¿Qué le regalaría?|url=http://www.prensalibre.com/guatemala/politica/jimmy-morales-esta-de-cumpleaos-que-le-regalaria|publisher=Pensa Libre|date=18 March 2016|author=Contreras, Geovanni}}

Morales rose to fame as a TV comedian, starring in the series Moralejas ("Morals") alongside his brother Sammy. He formally changed his first name from James to Jimmy by deed poll in 2011.{{cite web|url=http://issuu.com/lahoragt/docs/edimpresa_viernes_1_abril_2011/14|title=ISSUU – Edicion Impresa – Viernes 1 Abril 2011 by La Hora|author=La Hora|work=Issuu|access-date=26 October 2015}}

Morales has been married for three decades to Patricia Marroquín, and has three children.{{cite web|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/comedian-takes-office-as-guatemalas-new-president--93891|title=Comedian takes office as Guatemala's new president|website=Hürriyet Daily News|access-date=8 March 2018}}

In 2011, he ran as a mayoral candidate in Mixco in the Guatemala City suburbs for the small right-wing Action for National Development party. He placed third.{{Cite news |url=http://www.prensalibre.com/guatemala/decision-libre-2015/jimmy-morales-el-comediante-que-quiere-ser-un-presidente-serio |author=Henry Morales |title=Jimmy Morales, el comediante que quiere ser un presidente serio |newspaper=Prensa Libre |date=4 September 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.macleans.ca/news/world/have-a-laugh-at-guatemalas-new-president/|title=Have a laugh at Guatemala's new president - Macleans.ca|date=29 October 2015|access-date=8 March 2018}}

In 2013, Morales joined the small National Convergence Front (FCN/Nation) and became its Secretary-General.

{{Main|2015 Guatemalan general election}}

In 2015, Morales was nominated as the FCN's presidential candidate. His priorities were fighting corruption and dealing with chronic malnutrition, low education levels, and insecurity. His slogan was "Neither corrupt, nor a thief" (Ni corrupto, ni ladrón). He ran on a platform of conservative values and against corruption. He identifies as a nationalist, supports the death penalty, opposes abortion and legalized drugs, and denies that a genocide against the Ixil Maya took place.{{Cite news |url=http://www.plenglish.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4121731&Itemid=1 |title=Jimmy Morales, Comedian Candidate to Guatemalan Presidency |work=Prensa Latina English |date=2 September 2015}}[https://www.vox.com/2015/10/26/9616984/guatemala-election-jimmy-morales "Guatemala just elected a comedian with zero political experience to be president",] Vox.{{Cite news |url=http://www.ticotimes.net/2015/06/10/in-guatemala-anti-establishment-presidential-candidate-benefits-from-corruption-scandals |author=Louisa Reynolds |title=In Guatemala, anti-establishment presidential candidate benefits from corruption scandals |newspaper=The Tico Times |date=10 June 2015}}

He was initially considered an outsider but surprisingly led the field in the first round of the election, qualifying for a runoff alongside former First Lady Sandra Torres. Morales' success came after both former vice president Roxana Baldetti and outgoing president Otto Pérez Molina had to step down and were arrested on fraud and corruption charges (the La Línea corruption case).

In the runoff, Morales defeated Torres in a landslide, taking 67.4 percent of the vote.[http://www.tse.org.gt/images/memoriaselec/me2015.pdf Official results] Morales' success was viewed as a sign of the distrust of many Guatemalans towards the traditional political elite that ruled the country for decades. Voter anger and military support helped him win the presidency against more experienced politicians whom voters felt were tainted by a corrupt political system.

File:Jimmy Morales-Enrique Peña Nieto2.jpg ]]

Morales was sworn into office as the 50th president of Guatemala on January 14, 2016. The first words of his inaugural address were, "Thank you, my God, for the privilege you have given me to serve my country and my people." According to analysts, he took a messianic route and made everyone present at the inauguration swear to commit to a 'new' Guatemala.{{Cite web |date=2016-01-14 |title=Discurso de Jimmy Morales en frases |url=https://www.prensalibre.com/guatemala/politica/discurso-de-jimmy-morales-en-frases/ |access-date=2023-08-24 |language=es-GT}}

During the first days of the new administration, a request for a preliminary trial was introduced against the newly appointed Minister of Communications, Infrastructure, and Housing, Sherry Ordóñez, because she was a state contractor. Ordóñez and Morales, for their part, denied that there was a constitutional restriction for her to continue as Minister. However, on January 25, eleven days after being sworn in, Ordóñez would resign from her post.

Morales' first international visit was to Ecuador, where he participated in CELAC and maintained bilateral relations with the presidents of Chile, Venezuela, Bolivia, Mexico, Ecuador, and Argentina.

On 24 December 2017, Morales announced that he planned to move the Guatemalan embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. He became the second national leader to announce a decision to make such a move, after the President of the United States, Donald Trump, made a similar announcement on 6 December.{{Cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/24/middleeast/guatemala-jerusalem/index.html|title=Guatemala to move embassy to Jerusalem, president says|author=Clara Lopez and Joe Sterling|work=CNN|access-date=2017-12-25}}

File:Jimmy Morales president of Guatemala with Reuven Rivlin President of Israel (2226).jpg ]]

On 18 June 2018, the Morales government was widely criticized for its slow action in favor of Guatemalans affected by the American policy of separating immigrant families; this caused the dismissal of the presidential spokesman Heinz Heimann, who, a day before his removal from the office, said that the government respected the policy of President Trump.{{Cite news|url=http://www.prensalibre.com/guatemala/migrantes/gobierno-se-pronuncia-por-separacion-de-nios-migrantes-en-la-frontera-de-eeuu|title=Después de presiones y críticas, el Gobierno rechaza la separación de familias migrantes|language=es|author=William Oliva|work=Prensa Libre|access-date=2018-06-08}}

In January 2017, Morales' older brother and close adviser, Samuel "Sammy" Morales, as well as one of Morales' sons, José Manuel Morales, were arrested on corruption and money laundering charges.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-guatemala-corruption-idUSKBN1522NS|title=Guatemala president's brother, son held on suspicion of fraud|date=19 January 2017|access-date=27 August 2017|newspaper=Reuters}}{{cite web|url=http://www.prensalibre.com/guatemala/justicia/sala-niega-beneficio-a-sammy-morales|title=Samuel Morales irá a juicio por lavado de dinero|access-date=27 August 2017}} According to media reports, the arrests prompted several large protests of up to 15,000 people demanding President Morales' resignation. The most recent took place in September 2017. Morales refused to step down.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/15/world/americas/guatemala-corruption-morales.html|title=Protests Erupt in Guatemala Over Laws to Dilute Antigraft Campaign (Published 2017)|first=Elisabeth|last=Malkin|newspaper=The New York Times |date=15 September 2017|accessdate=11 February 2021}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/27/guatemalan-president-jimmy-morales-order-expel-head-un-body-suspended|title=Crisis flares in Guatemala over corruption and organised crime|date=27 August 2017|website=the Guardian|accessdate=11 February 2021}}{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-guatemala-corruption/thousands-of-protesters-in-guatemala-demand-presidents-resignation-idUSKBN16E2PW|title=Thousands of protesters in Guatemala demand president's resignation|date=7 March 2017|access-date=8 March 2018|newspaper=Reuters}}{{cite news|url=https://sg.news.yahoo.com/anti-president-protests-during-guatemala-independence-day-193043959.html|title=Anti-president protests during Guatemala independence day|agency=AFP|via=Yahoo|date=15 September 2017|access-date=12 October 2021}}

In August 2017, Morales ordered the expulsion of Colombian Iván Velásquez, commissioner of the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), after it began "investigating claims that his party took illegal donations, including from drug-traffickers" and asked Congress to "strip him of immunity from prosecution."{{cite news|title=Jimmy Morales's war on Guatemala's graft-busters|url=https://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21727900-president-trying-thwart-un-backed-anti-corruption-agency-it-deserves-stout|newspaper=The Economist|date=31 Aug 2017}}[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2017/09/06/guatemalas-president-tried-to-shut-down-a-u-n-commission-that-announced-it-was-investigating-him/ "Guatemala’s president tried to expel the U.N. commissioner who announced he was under investigation" - The Washington Post] The Constitutional Court of Guatemala blocked the move. Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos Raúl Morales had refused to sign the executive order and was removed from office along with Vice-minister Carlos Ramiro Martínez, and vice-minister Anamaría Diéguez resigned.{{cite web|url=http://www.elespectador.com/noticias/el-mundo/el-presidente-de-guatemala-destituye-su-canciller-y-al-vicecanciller-articulo-710121|title=El presidente de Guatemala destituye a su canciller y al vicecanciller - ELESPECTADOR.COM|date=27 August 2017|access-date=8 March 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.eluniversal.com.co/mundo/guatemala-ordena-expulsar-al-colombiano-ivan-velasquez-jefe-anticorrupcion-260815|title=Guatemala ordena expulsar al colombiano Iván Velásquez, jefe anticorrupción|date=27 August 2017|access-date=8 March 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.soy502.com/articulo/jimmy-morales-declara-5313|title=Jimmy ratifica decisión de nombrar non grato a Iván Velásquez|access-date=8 March 2018}} Velásquez confirmed he will continue as CICIG commissioner following the Constitutional Court decision to block his expulsion. In September 2017, the Congress of Guatemala refused to strip Morales of his immunity, rejecting Commissioner Velásquez's suggestion.{{cite web|url=http://www.dw.com/en/guatemala-parliament-votes-to-keep-immunity-for-president-jimmy-morales/a-40457825|title=Guatemala parliament votes to keep immunity for President Jimmy Morales - News - DW - 12.09.2017|website=DW.COM|access-date=8 March 2018}}

In September 2017, it was revealed that the Ministry of Defense, headed by Williams Mansilla, had been paying President Morales a $7,300 per month bonus since December 2016, in addition to his regular salary.{{cite news|title=Former Guatemala defense minister arrested on corruption charges |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-guatemala-corruption/former-guatemala-defense-minister-arrested-on-corruption-charges-idUSKBN1FF298 |work=Reuters News |date=2018-01-26 |access-date=2018-01-28}} The payments from the defense ministry were referred to as a "Bonus for Extraordinary Responsibility." Mansilla resigned from office soon after the payments were revealed to the public. He was later arrested and charged with corruption in January 2018, relating to the special bonus to Morales. President Morales denied the bonuses were illegal but did return approximately $60,000 to the government.

The acquisition of services and luxury items for the president using public monies by the government caused controversy, although he indicated not being personally involved in those expenses.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-america-latina-42798049|title=Ropa, lentes de sol y masajes: la polémica lista de artículos personales de lujo que el presidente de Guatemala, Jimmy Morales, rechaza pagar de su sueldo|date=24 Jan 2018|work=BBC|access-date=27 Sep 2018}}

A former cabinet minister accused Morales of having sexually abused young female public workers with the complicity of other government officials.{{Cite news|url=https://www.prensalibre.com/guatemala/politica/Jimmy-Morales-denuncia-abuso-sexual-mujeres|title=Víctimas de abusos cometidos por Jimmy Morales podrían ser 10, denuncia excanciller|last=Orozco|first=Andrea|date=4 July 2018|work=Prensa Libre|access-date=27 Sep 2018}}

Guatemalan Defense Minister Williams Mansilla confirmed on 22 April 2016 the deployment of 3,000 soldiers to the Guatemalan border with Belize after a shooting incident on Belizean territory with army weapons resulted in the death of a 13-year-old boy and the wounding of his 11-year-old brother, as well as their 48-year-old father.[http://internacional.elpais.com/internacional/2016/04/22/actualidad/1461317224_181907.html "Guatemala despliega 3.000 soldados en la frontera con Belice"], El País, 22 Abril 2016 (accessed 22 April 2016)

On 14 January 2020, Guatemalan civil society groups began pressuring Guatemalan authorities to arrest Morales for corruption after he left office.{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/1/14/guatemalans-demand-arrest-of-outgoing-president-for-corruption|title=Guatemalans demand arrest of outgoing president for corruption|first=Sandra|last=Cuffe|website=www.aljazeera.com|accessdate=11 February 2021}} However, he regained immunity from prosecution after it was agreed that other officials who served in his administration would be stripped of their immunity. Eight of his allies, including some who were not in his administration, were charged with corruption, including two former FCN legislators and 2019 FCN presidential candidate Estuardo Galdámez.{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/1/16/guatemalan-officials-arrested-for-corruption-after-leaving-office|title=Guatemalan officials arrested for corruption after leaving office|first=Sandra|last=Cuffe|website=www.aljazeera.com|accessdate=11 February 2021}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-guatemala-politics-idUSKBN1ZE279|title=Arrest warrants for Guatemalan ex-presidential candidate as immunity lapses|first=Sofia|last=Menchu|newspaper=Reuters |date=15 January 2020|accessdate=11 February 2021|via=www.reuters.com}}

In 2023, Morales announced his candidacy for deputy to the Congress for the 2023 general election, while his brother Sammy Morales announced his presidential candidacy, both representing the National Convergence Front (FCN). However, neither received sufficient votes to get elected. As a result, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal dissolved the FCN.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-26 |title=Los candidatos que no ganaron en las Elecciones Generales 2023: Estos son los políticos que no tuvieron los votos suficientes para estar en el Congreso 2024-2028 |url=https://www.prensalibre.com/guatemala/elecciones-generales-guatemala-2023/quien-gano-y-quien-no-las-elecciones-de-diputados-resultados-preliminares-2023/ |access-date=2023-07-18 |language=es-GT}}

• {{flagicon|Taiwan}} Order of Brilliant Jade, Grand Cordon, awarded by the President of the Republic of China Tsai Ing-wen on January 11, 2017.{{Cite web |date=2017-01-12 |title=Tsai lands in Guatemala, holds talks with Morales |url=https://taiwantoday.tw/news.php?unit=2&post=109421 |access-date=2023-06-19 |website=Taiwan Today |language=en}}
• {{flagicon|Israel}} Honorary doctorate, awarded by Hebrew University of Jerusalem, in November 2016.{{cite news |title=Ahora que Jimmy Morales tiene doctorado Honoris Causa, esto le dicen los tuiteros |url=https://www.guatevision.com/historico/jimmy-honoris-causa |access-date=3 February 2024 |work=GuateVisión |date=30 November 2016 |language=es}}

• Manzana Güena en Noche Güena (2004)
• La Misteriosa Herencia (2004)
• Detectives por Error (2005)
• Ve Que Vivos, una aventura en el más allá (2006)
• Un Presidente de a Sombrero (2007)
• Repechaje (2009)
• Gerardi (2010)
• Fe (2011)
• Viva la Crisis (2012)

• Aló que tal América (1996)
• Moralejas (2004)

• Evangelical political parties in Latin America

{{reflist}}

{{commons category}}

{{wikiquotes}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20151021034931/http://www.jimmymorales.gt/ Personal website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20151101172546/http://www.jimmymoralesforpresident.com/ Presidential campaign website]
• {{IMDb name|2421193}}
• [http://www.cidob.org/biografias_lideres_politicos/america_central_y_caribe/guatemala/jimmy_morales_cabrera Biography by CIDOB] (in Spanish)

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{{s-ttl|title=National Convergence Front nominee for
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Morales, Jimmy}}

Category:1969 births

Category: Living people

Category: People from Guatemala City

Category: Guatemalan actor-politicians

Category: Guatemalan evangelicals

Category: Guatemalan male comedians

Category: Guatemalan male television actors

Category: Presidents of Guatemala

Category:Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala alumni

Category:21st-century Guatemalan male actors